He doesn’t want a city…but he is considering staying on a waitlist for CMU (same city as Pitt), and JHU…which is also in a city?
What am I missing? Pitt and CMU are practically next to each other. Same city.
JHU is in Baltimore. That’s a big city.
If he didn’t like cities…why did he apply to Pitt or CMU or JHU?
For what it’s worth, I live in SEPA - Philly suburbs. Penn State’s alumni network is amazing. You can’t take 2 steps without tripping over one. I’m not familiar with Pitt’s programs. Personally, for my kid, I would prefer an honors program if it meant he would get a little bit more one on one time with professors - but that’s because he goes to a big high school and I feel that’s something he has missed so far in his education. His writing and communication skills could use some finessing. Do you need that small feel with a math major? I don’t know. Those would be my considerations, along with $$. If he’s planning to go to grad school, which option provides the best deal now?
Good luck, and congrats on some great choices!
Why would any school that enrolled only 4 students from its WL the prior year have an event for WL students? That seems almost mean spirited - to get kids hopes up like that. Have they articulated a different WL policy this year? OP - kudos to you on raising a child who is so reasoned! I would trust his feeling about what is best for him.
@thumper1 We visited all the places mentioned and I can tell you that CMU and JHU do have a small campus feel, without main roads and cars driving through the buildings whereas Pitts is intermingled with the city. PSU is also big and had busses and cars driving throughout but because it’s one big village of students he thinks he would like it better. I can’t argue with how he feels. That’s the whole process, to let them choose where the think they’ll be happy, isn’t it? 
@Trixy34 He thinks he would be able to transfer to the PSU honors program, so he’s not overly relying only on Pitts honors program. He understands it’s not a guarantee and said that if he will go to PSU, he is not entering the school the in order to move the honors program, but he’s keeping it as an option. He really embraced quickly the mindset of “it doesn’t matter WHERE you go but HOW you go in” and he will do well anywhere. I trust him. I’m here on CC parents forum to make sure I’m learning the process carefully since we have not gone through it ourselves as undergrads (and we have 3 more boys that will go through it in the next few years )
@Happy4u I wish I knew the answer! this is what they offer: https://admission.cmu.edu/portal/waiting_list_session
and here’s how they articulate PWL vs WL: https://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/the-waiting-list-frequently-asked-questions
but from what I see on CC, everyone were offered the PWL option and they can choose between PWL, regular WL or not stay on the list at all.
Check out what exactly Pitt Honors offers. Some honors programs are outstanding and really connect their high achieving kids with faculty & research opportunities.
If your son sees a graduate program in his future, that might prove invaluable.
Also, since your son has a major in mind, try reaching out to a math professor at each school, or make an appointment at the math department. Discuss your son’s situation, interests, and the school’s math program. Be open that you’re comparing two schools and see what the professors say. An opportunity to speak to someone in the department might also prove to be a good gauge of how “customer friendly” the programs are.
Which school (and by extension, other majors) would your S prefer if he decided not to major in math? If he hasn’t gotten to Analysis yet, that one is often a deal breaker for prospective math majors. If he has taken math beyond BC Calc, will those course credits carry over or will the school allow placement testing? Does the school enable students to double major in a way that one can finish in four years (ie, if he decided to do math/CS or math/econ)?
My son found it VERY enlightening to sit in on math classes (and talk to the math profs if possible) at the colleges which interested him. He was coming in with an unusual skill set and needed to be able to check off certain boxes. My other son, who is a liberal arts sort, also found sitting in on classes to be helpful.
Both guys recommend walking the halls of the department where one plans to major to read the bulletin boards – about awards, offerings, study groups, competitions, JOB opportunities…it can help give you an idea of how supportive the faculty and school is of its students.
(mom of math major here)
I discouraged my D from her WL schools. Its nice to be able to move on and enjoy your year. This whole process is so stressful. If one of them isn’t his “dream school” do I dare say, let it go…
Absolutely, he should be making the choice about which school to attend. If he prefers Penn State…then that is where he should go.
He can accept their offer of admission…and still be on a waitlist at JHU and CMU. Pitt will be off the table.
I agree with others…I would not take my kid to any event for waitlisted students. Especially a school that admitted only FIVE students from the WL last year. He can have his GC send info, find out if an additional reference would be helpful, send in any other awards he receives.
But a visit to a WL school? I wouldn’t do that.
@thumper1 I truly seek to understand, not to argue. As I mentioned, we did not study in the US for undergrad so we are new to this process. If the college of interest is relatively close (2 hours driving) and assuming DS2 is interested visiting as part of his college visits (he’s a sophomore now). Wouldn’t it show a continued interest if the applicant (DS1)comes to visit again and sits on one of the classes that are open?
I say always keep your options open. If the kid is okay with remaining on the WL, taking steps to try to get in, fine. If the kid absolutely needs to be done, that’s another matter. Your kid sounds like the rational type, and I think it is fine to follow his lead and not make arbitrary decisions based on other people’s feelings that he does not share.
Personally, I’d be inclined towards Pitt’s Honors College over Penn State as an ultimately more interesting college experience. Maybe my impression of Penn State is unfairly tarnished by the events of the last few years…I wouldn’t be attracted to a school where the weekends and prestige on campus revolve around football or other big-time sports teams. But the question is, would your son?
I used to travel to Pittsburgh on business, and it wasn’t the “concrete canyon” kind of city. Seems to me it has a lot of features to interest a college student, as well as a lot of potential internship targets for a math student!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh
BTW, I think that your son’s admissions strategy was perfectly reasonable. 
This is a fair assessment for some Penn State students, but I would like to note that the partying/sports cohort isn’t everyone. People find their niche and join what they enjoy. For me that’s books and volunteering. For OP’s son it might be math, swim, music, or whatever else strikes his fancy.
Forget the WL schools for now. The admission chance is very low. If that ever happens, it would be a nice surprise. You got two great schools to choose from. Check out these 2 schools thorough and don’t wait for the last minute for decision. There may be sequential deadlines for different things like housing and orientation registration that an early commitment may have small advantages.
Pitt is not typically called “Pitts” btw. Good luck with deciding and waiting on wait lists. I agree that looking into the course listings, meeting with a prof and sitting in on classes may be very helpful in his decisions. Meeting with the UHC dean or staff may also be helpful.
Pitt has a campus, however, less completely urban than BU, GW or NYU. There are green spaces on campus and a very large park across the street. But it is in the city.
I know kids that went to Penn State that participate fully in the frat/party hearty scene and others that stayed away from that.
Two good choices, even if the WL don’t come through.
I’m with the folks that say have him pick one of the two acceptances to put a deposit down. Personally I wouldn’t even mess with the waitlist colleges and in your OP it didn’t sound like your son was concerned about making a decision between the two that picked him as opposed to keeping up hope for one of the colleges he was waitlisted at.
Interesting perspective on WL and what to do (visit, ask to meet with AO are two suggestions) and how WL are calculated and reported:
http://www.bestcollegefit.com/blog/archives/2180
I’ve only read the first page, but you have to pay NON-refundable money to stay on a waitlist? $800 for a possible chance? Wow! I can’t say anything nice, so I won’t say anything about that.
@4boyzsmom my kid got off two waitlists, and other than send a few emails and updated grades, she really did move on. It was a big surprise when she got off the waitlist in the summer. But she did not revisit the school she now attends. I honestly do not think revisiting serves a purpose. They know you are interested if you interviewed, sent LOCI, etc…
@4boyzsmom: have any of the waitlists brought good news?
Have you been able to check out the list of colleges that miscalculated yield?